Fall of the Hidden One
by Onimiman
Summary: A little drabble focusing one of the villains in FOTJ: Outcast, the Hidden One. I find it interesting that there was nothing done with his character in the series following this novel, for he could have been put to quite a bit of good use.


Note: This takes place after Outcast, following the Skywalkers' defeat of the Hidden One and escape from the Kel Dor cult. Please forgive any discrepancies or continuity errors, as it has been some time since I read Outcast.

Dorin

The turbolift that led from the underground caverns opened up to reveal the Hidden One, humbled and defeated, standing in dejection before he sullenly stepped out. Now having entered the Baran Do temple proper, other Sages out in the hallway with him temporarily ceased their duties to stare in surprise at the man who was once known as Koro Ziil. The Hidden One, in turn, also stepped after taking five steps, then looked around to all those who stared back at him, not saying a word.

Among those who were scrutinizing their former Master of the Order was the current Master of the Order, Tila Mong. She walked up to the Hidden One and stopped before him to ask, "Have you come to rejoin the rest of your fellow Sages, Master Ziil?"

The Hidden One shook his head. "Quite the opposite, Master Mong. I have come to inform you all that I was wrong in my beliefs; I was naive and stupid to believe that we could retain any knowledge of our order in the Caverns below. But alas, what Master Skywalker had informed myself and my followers a month ago is also a futile belief."

Murmurs arose as Mong asked, "Tell us, Master Ziil. If neither your belief nor our belief is really true, then what should we abide by in our Order?"

The Hidden One looked directly in Mong's eyes. "Frankly, Master Mong, there is no belief that is worth following anymore."

Gasps of shock acted as the climax to the murmurs that the Hidden One had built up. Mong waved her hand among the gathered crowd before demanding from the Hidden One, "Explain yourself, Master Ziil."

"After the last of my followers left the Caverns," Ziil began explaining, "I was left for several days, contemplating what I represented to the future of this Order if I had no one to take my place after I passed into the Force. I actually began considering rejoining the Order of the Baran Do Sages when I received the most horrifying, apocalyptic vision imaginable."

"And what was this vision?" Mong inquired.

"A dark, tentacled being, seeming to be made only of pure malice and evil intent, would overcome this galaxy," the Hidden One answered. "No one would be able to stop it. Not the Galactic Alliance, not the Jedi Order, not any single Force sect, not even us. Had my followers not abandoned me, the cause that I have carried would not bear the power that this being would bring about to this galaxy.

"It would simply eradicate all life from the Core to the Unknown Regions," the Hidden One continued, "and nothing, and no one, would ever be able to protect even an amoeba in the most isolated part of the galaxy from this entity's wrath. I have seen this horrendous, terrifying being, my friends, and it will wipe out all that anyone, anywhere, in this galaxy cherishes most... life itself.

"Make no mistake; this being will come soon. I do not know specifically when, but it will come within your lifetime. And then, when this being has its way with this galaxy, life will never be again."

Everyone in the hall was silent for a few tense moments. Mong broke up that silence by asking, "You said 'your' lifetime. Will you not be part of this lifetime, Master Ziil?"

"Why should I?" the Hidden One asked.

Then, all of a sudden, the man once known as Koro Ziil gestured broadly with his arms. And in an instant, a bolt of lightning, concocted of his own power, manifested in the air and struck him through the chest. Everyone in the hall backed up in silence from the suicide committed by the Hidden One. No one said a word as his body, which now had a giant, smoking crater in his chest, collapsed lifelessly to the floor.

Mong's apprentice, Tistura Paan, sidled up next to her Master as she continued to ogle the Hidden One's deceased form. "Master Mong?" Tistura asked.

"Yes, Tistura?" Mong asked, not looking away from the dead Hidden One.

"This creature... that Master Ziil spoke of..." Tistura trailed off before finding her words. "Do you believe that it really exists?"

"Master Ziil may have been a misguided fool, Tistura," Mong said, "but he was still a great Master of the Baran Do Sages. I doubt any vision he receives is without merit."

"Then what do we do?" Tistura asked.

"First, we gather up Master Ziil's remains," Mong said, "then we can figure out what can be done about the galaxy's impending doom."

~o~

_"Thank you for your teachings, Master Ziil," Jacen Solo, masked with a respirator providing him oxygen to counter Dorin's poisonous atmosphere, said to the Master of the Baran Do Order as he bowed before him in his meditation chamber. "They have been most enlightening in my studies of the Force so far." Jacen already had his things packed around his shoulders and was clearly ready to leave._

_Ziil nodded. "I hope you find what you seek in the Force, Jedi Solo. I must say, it is quite refreshing to see a Jedi of your caliber not limit yourself to the teachings set by your own Order. If I do say so myself, if you continue along this path, you could very well be on your way to becoming the greatest Force-user of all time."_

_Jacen smirked. "You really think so?"_

_Ziil shrugged. "Anything is possible, especially where the Force is concerned."_

_"Well, again, thank you," Jacen said with a nod._

_"So, out of curiosity, where are you going from here?" Ziil asked._

_"You know of the Transitory Mists?"_

_Ziil nodded. "I'm aware of that sector of space, yes. You plan on studying in there?"_

_"Of course," Jacen answered simply. "I hear that's where the Aing-Tii are."_

_"Well, in either case, have a safe journey," Ziil said. "And may the Force be with you."_

_"May the Force be with you as well, Master Ziil," Jacen said before he moved away to the door that would lead him to exit the chamber._

_Mere seconds after Jacen left, Ziil was suddenly bombarded by strange visions in his mind of a deranged version of the young Jedi who just left ruling over the galaxy with an iron fist; he would be stopped by the blade of a Jedi, but in his place, a new, unforeseeable danger would rise._

_The vision came as quickly as it had come, and it dissipated into nothingness in Ziil's mind._


End file.
